COE assistant professor featured on UGA's homepage

Ashley J. Harrison, an assistant professor in the Department of Educational Psychology (school psychology), is currently featured on UGA's homepage for her research on autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

Harrison is pursuing two distinct lines of research related to ASD. The first line is focused on the development of social attention in children with ASD, while the second looks at the dissemination of best practice ASD assessment and treatment approaches to countries and minority groups with insufficient access to ASD services.

To conduct her research, Harrison uses eye tracking and behavioral coding to measure social constructs common among children with ASD. Her journal article, "Observation-Centered Approach to ASD Assessment in Tanzania," showcases the research she conducted in Tanzania on the effectiveness of parent-mediated behavioral interventions and observation-based approaches for diagnosing ASD in low-income countries.

In 2014, Harrison was named Outstanding Faculty of the Year by UGA's Disability Resource Center and has been invited to present her research on cross-cultural approaches to autism diagnostic assessment and behavioral intervention at the Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.

Harrison is an active member of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT), a multidisciplinary organization committed to advancing the understanding and improvement of the human condition. She was also the recipient of the Early Career Award from the ABCT Autism Spectrum and Developmental Disabilities Special Interest Group.